Closure for collapsible tubes



' Dec. 6, 1 938.

COLEMAN, JR CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Dec. 8, 1957 25 30 f3 16 16 III ll' nl' III I II J- 30 Q I Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 7 Claims.

The invention relates to closures for collapsible tubes and particularly to the class of closure that automatically opens upon compression of the tube to discharge a ribbon of the paste material, and which similarly closes when the pressureis no longer applied so as to seal off the discharge orifice.

More specifically, the invention concerns a closure in which the neck of the tube is provided with a spring-pressed closure member having a discharge orifice normally closed by an interfitting stationary element. When the tube is compressed, the contents urge the closure member forwardly against the resiliency of the spring.

,In this manner the orifice is opened and the material discharged. Upon relaxation of the tube,' the spring returns the closure member to its sealing position.

The invention has for its object the production of an improved closure of this type, one that is highly efiicient and serviceable.

A distinctive feature of the invention is that it is inexpensive to manufacture and provides an air-tight juncture that assures the contents of the tube being kept in their original condition throughout usage.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of the neck of a tube showing the invention applied thereto.

Figures 2 and 3 are further sectional views thereof but not in perspective. The latter View shows the closure member in open position.

Figure 4 is an end view.

Figure 5 is a perspective view partially in section of a slightly modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view thereof in which the closure member is indicated in dash lines in its open position.

Figure 7 is a similar section to Figure 6 but taken at right angles thereto.

Figure 8 is a perspective View partially in section of a further modification of the invention.

Figure 9 is a sectional view thereof in which the closure member is indicated in dash lines in its open position.

Figure 10 is a similar section to Figure 9 but taken at right angles thereto.

Figure 11 is a perspective view partially in section of a still further modified form.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail of the tube neck showing a groove for a tongue.

Like numerals of reference denote similar parts in each figure of the drawing.

Referring at first to Figures 1 through 4 and. 12, the reference numeral I4 denotes'the usual end wall of a conventional collapsible tube for containing a paste material. The wall is preferably integrally formed with the neck l5 which is tubular and communicates with the interior of the body of the tube. The front end of the neck is diametrically reduced to provide a wall H5 having an interior abrupt face against which one end of a compression spring I! is seated.

The closure member i8 is slidably disposed in the neck for axial movement and is of circular shape having its interior chambered, as at 19, inwardly from its rear end so as to leave a front wall 29. The rear end is diametrically enlarged, as at 20, to provide an inner abrupt face forming a seat for the other end of said coil spring 11.

Extending forwardly through the chamber of the closure member is a flat sided tongue 2| which is diametrically mounted in the neck and has its front end engaged in a correspondingly shaped transverse orifice 22 in the front wall 20.

The tongue is rigidly carried by the neck with its front end face flush with that of the neck, and it will be seen from the drawing that the outer surface of the closure member when closed is also flush with the front face of the neck.

In order to provide for the assembly of the closure member and the spring, the tongue is constructed as a separate part and attached to the neck when said member and spring are assembled therein. The mode of securing the tongue consists of the provision of a pair of radially directed lugs 23 integral therewith and disposed in the plane thereof. Said lugs are located at the rear of the tongue below the enlarged adjacent end 20' of the closure member so as to serve as a stop therefor and are pressed into grooves 24 in the neck as clearly shown in Figure 12.

Accordingly, when the body of the tube is compressed the material urges the closure forwardly against the spring pressure and thus provides a passage between the tongue and the orifice for discharge of the material in ribbon form. The closure member seals off the passage when the pressure is no longer applied.

With a view to precluding the closure member from becoming twisted when in its open position shown in Figure 3; it is proposed to provide a pair of diametrically aligned guides 25 in the chamber l9 so as to contact the side faces of the tongue. The guides may and will be in tegral with the front wall 20 and the circular wall. It will be manifest that the guides will operate to maintain the orifice of the closure member in register with the tongue, and for this purpose are arranged at right angles to the tongue, one being on each side thereof.

Adverting to the modification shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the neck is provided with a straight bore in which the closure member 26 operates. The rear enlargement of the closure member is dispensed with, but the front wall 2'! is the same and has a similar transverse orifice receiving the tongue 28.

The tongue, however, has its lugs 29 integral with the neck, and the circular wall 30 of the closure member is supplied with diametrically opposite slots 3| that interfit with the lugs to permit the skirt 32 to fit over the rear end of the closure member. The side faces of the slots are outwardly inclined to the rear face of the skirt 32 for the purpose of acting as guides to align the orifice with the tongue should the closure member become slightly askew in open position.

The closure member is furnished with a pair of arms 33 transversely arranged with respect of the tongue and extending rearwardly from the front wall 21 past the skirt 32 and joined to the circular wall 30. These arms have shoulders 34 against which is seated an end of the compression spring 35 which encircles the arms and has its other end seated against the rear end face of the tongue, whereby the resiliency of the coil spring serves to normally retain the closure member in its closed position. The closure member operates in similar manner to that already recounted.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show a variant form to that just described. The variation resides in employing a fiat spring in place of the coil spring. This is carried out by providing the skirt of the closure member, indicated at 36, with a pair of diametrically disposed square holes 31 below the tongue.

A spring 38 of a fiat cross section is transverse- 1y arranged below the tongue, which spring is inwardly curved or bowed substantially throughout its length with its ends 39 bent outwardly and seated in the holes 31, the medial portion bearing against the rear end face of the tongue. It will thus be evident that the spring will tend to straighten in the forward, opening movement of the closure member.

In the final modification illustrated in Figure 11, a coil spring 40 is shown in the chamber of the closure member encircling the tongue. This coil spring is arranged to act under tension and has one end secured to the closure member by the insertion of a coil in a recess, the other end being engaged in a notch in the rear portion of the tongue. The operation of this construction will be obvious from what has preceded, and it will be observed that guide pieces are indicated at 4|, which are of a similar construction and arrangement to the guides 25 earlier described in detail.

I claim:

1. A closure for a. collapsible tube, comprising a neck having a circular bore therethrough, a circular closure member slidably mounted in said bore, said closure member being chambered inwardly from its rear end to leave a front wall, said front wall having an elongated rectangular orifice therethrough diametrically disposed, a fiat sided tongue of a uniform cross section corresponding to said orifice, said tongue being diametrically disposed in the neck and forwardly extending through the chamber of the closure member with its forward end normally fitting in the orifice of the front wall, a pair of radially directed lugs integral with the rear of the tongue and rigidly connected with the neck, and a spring normally retaining the closure member in closed position against said lugs.

2. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising a neck having a circular bore therethrough with a pair of diametrically opposed grooves rearwardly open to the interior of the tube, a circular closure member slidably mounted in said bore, said closure member being chambered inwardly from its rear end to leave a front wall, said front wall having an elongated rectangular orifice therethrough diametrically disposed, a fiat sided tongue of a uniform cross section corresponding to said orifice, said tongue being diametrically disposed in the neck and forwardly extending through the chamber of the closure member with its forward end normally fitting in the orifice of the front wall, a pair of radially directed lugs integral with the rear of the tongue and press fitted in the aforesaid grooves of the bore of the neck, and a spring shouldered on the tongue and bearing against the closure member to retain it in a normally closed position against said lugs.

3. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising a neck having a circular bore therethrough, a circular closure member slidably mounted in said bore, said closure member being chambered inwardly from its rear end to leave a front wall, said front wall having an elongated rectangular orifice therethrough diametrically disposed, a flat sided tongue of a uniform cross section corresponding to said orifice, said tongue being diametrically disposed in the neck and forwardly extending through the chamber of the closure member with its forward end normally fitting in the orifice of the front wall, a pair of radially directed lugs integral with the rear of the tongue and rigidly connected with the neck, a spring normally retaining the closure member in closed position with the orifice interfitted with the forward end of the tongue, and a pair of guides formed on the closure member within the chamber and diametrically aligned at right angles to the tongue to engage the side faces thereof.

4. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising a neck having a circular bore therethrough, a circular closure member slidably mounted in the bore thereof, said closure member having a front Wall and a chamber inwardly extending from its rear end with a pair of diametrically opposite slots in its skirt portion having converging sides, said front wall having an elongated rectangular orifice therethrough and diametrically disposed, a flat sided tongue of a uniform cross section. corresponding to said orifice, said tongue being diametrically disposed in the neck and forwardly extending through the chamber with its forward end normally fitting in the orifice of said front wall, a pair of radially directed lugs integral with the rear end of the tongue and rigidly connected with the neck, said lugs being engaged in the slots of the closure member whereby the inclined sides serve as guides, and a spring normally retaining the closure member in. closed position against said lugs.

5. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising a neck having a circular bore therethrough, a circular closure member slidably mounted in said bore, said closure member being chambered inwardly from its rear end to leave a front wall, said front wall having an elongated rectangular orifice therethrough diametrically disposed, a flat sided tongue of a uniform cross section corresponding to said orifice, said tongue being diametrically disposed in the neck and forwardly extending through the chamber of the closure member with its forward end normally fitting in the orifice of the front Wall, a pair of radially directed lugs integral with the rear of the tongue and rigidly connected with the neck, a pair of arms carried by the closure member and extending rearwardly through the chamber below the skirt at right angles to the tongue said arms having contact with the respective adjacent side faces of the tongue to serve as guides for maintaining the orifice of the closure member in register with the tongue when the closure member is in open position, and a coil spring shouldered on the arms and against the tongue.

6. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising a tubular neck, a closure member slidable therein having a peripheral wall with a pair of square holes diametrically disposed and each closed off at the periphery of the closure member by the bore of the neck, said closure member also having a front wall with an elongated rectangular orifice therethrough, a tongue of a uniform cross section corresponding to said orifice and diametrically disposed in the closure member with its forward end normally fitting in said orifice, a pair of lugs radially extending from the rear of the said tongue and rigidly connecting it to the neck, and a transverse spring of a fiat cross section substantially inwardly bowed throughout its length with its ends bent outwardly and seated in said square holes and held against displacement by the bore of the neck, said spring having its medial portion bearing against the tongue to retain the closure member in a normally closed position.

7. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising a neck having a circular bore therethrough, a circular closure member slidably mounted in the bore thereof, said closure member having a front wall and a chamber inwardly extending from its rear end with a pair of diametrically opposite slots in its skirt portion having converging sides, said front wall having an elongated rectangular orifice therethrough and diametrically disposed, a fiat sided tongue of a uniform cross section corresponding to said orifice, said tongue being diametrically disposed in the neck and forwardly extending through the chamber with its forward end normally fitting in the orifice of said front wall, a pair of radially directed lugs integral with the rear end of the tongue and rigidly connected with the neck, said lugs being engaged in the slots of the closure member whereby the inclined sides serve as guides, a pair of arms carried by the closure member and extending rearwardly through the chamber below the tongue at right angles thereto, and an expansible coil spring shouldered on said arms and against said tongue.

FRANK COLEMAN, JR. 

